Abstract: A head including a write element for writing data to a magnetic media, and methods for its production are provided. A write element of the invention includes one or more of a recessed first pole, a heat sink layer, and a shortened yoke length. A method of the invention provides forming an anti-reflective layer before forming a mask layer. During photolithography the anti-reflective layer suppresses undesirable reflections off of features, such as vertical sidewalls, that otherwise limit how closely to such features portions of the mask layer can be formed.

Abstract: A magnetic head for a disk drive is disclosed that has a first soft magnetic pole layer disposed in the head adjacent to a medium-facing surface and extending perpendicular to the medium-facing surface; a second soft magnetic pole layer disposed closer than the first pole layer to the trailing end, the second pole layer magnetically coupled to the first pole layer in a backgap region; a soft magnetic pedestal adjoining the second pole layer, disposed closer than the second pole layer to the medium-facing surface and extending less than the second pole layer extends from the medium-facing surface, the pedestal separated from the first pole layer by a nonferromagnetic gap, the pedestal having a thickness that is less than four hundred and fifty nanometers between the gap and the second pole layer. Longitudinal and perpendicular recording embodiments are disclosed, as well as solenoidal, single-layer and dual-layer reversed-current coil structures.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive (MR) sensors are disclosed that have leads with reduced resistance, improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the sensors. The leads have broad layers of highly conductive material for connection to MR structures, as opposed to thin wires of highly conductive material or broad layers of resistive material, lowering the resistance of the leads. The low-resistance leads can be formed without increasing the shield-to-shield spacing, providing highly sensitive and focused MR sensors.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive (MR) sensors have leads that overlap a MR structure and distribute current to the MR structure so that the current is not concentrated in small portions of the leads. An electrically resistive capping layer can be formed between the leads and the MR structure to distribute the current. The leads can include resistive layers and conductive layers, the resistive layers having a thickness-to-resistivity ratio that is greater than that of each of the conductive layers. The resistive layers may protect the conductive layers during MR structure etching, so that the leads have broad layers of electrically conductive material for connection to MR structures. The broad leads conduct heat better than the read gap material that they replace, further reducing the temperature at the connection between the leads and the MR structure.

Abstract: A spin-valve magnetic transducing element. In one embodiment, a spin-valve magnetic transducing element is disclosed in which a ferromagnetic tunneling junction film, including first and second ferromagnetic layers and an insulating layer is enclosed between the ferromagnetic layers. A nonmagnetic metal thin film is inserted between the second ferromagnetic layer and the insulating layer, all of which are formed on a substrate.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) read sensor fabricated on a substrate includes a ferromagnetic layer that is exchange coupled with an antiferromagnetic layer made of a defined composition of iridium manganese. A tantalum layer is used so that the exchange field and coercivity do not change with variations in annealing temperature. The antiferromagnetic layer is formed with a material composition of IrxMn100-x wherein x is in the range of 15<x>23. In an embodiment of a spin valve structure, the tantalum layer is disposed over the substrate and the antiferromagnetic layer is in direct contact with a pinned ferromagnetic layer. In another embodiment, the IrMn layer is formed over a soft active layer. In a third embodiment using exchange pinning, spaced IrMn regions are formed over the active MR layer to define the sensor track width.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive read sensor fabricated on a substrate includes a ferromagnetic layer that is exchange coupled with an antiferromagnetic layer made of a defined composition of iridium manganese. A tantalum layer is used so that the exchange field and coercivity do not change with variations in annealing temperature. The antiferromagnetic layer is formed with a material composition of Irx Mn100-x, wherein x is in the range of 15<x>23. In an embodiment of a spin valve structure, the tantalum layer is disposed over the substrate and the antiferromagnetic layer is in direct contact with a pinned ferromagnetic layer. In another embodiment, the IrMn layer is formed over a soft active layer. In a third embodiment using exchange pinning, spaced IrMn regions are formed over the active magnetoresistive layer to define the sensor track width.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive read sensor fabricated on a substrate includes a ferromagnetic layer that is exchange coupled with an antiferromagnetic layer made of a defined composition of iridium manganese. A tantalum layer is used so that the exchange field and coercivity do not change with variations in annealing temperature. The antiferromagnetic layer is formed with a material composition of Ir.sub.x Mn.sub.100-x, wherein x is in the range of 15<.times.>23. In an embodiment of a spin valve structure, the tantalum layer is disposed over the substrate and the antiferromagnetic layer is in direct contact with a pinned ferromagnetic layer. In another embodiment, the IrMn layer is formed over a soft active layer. In a third embodiment using exchange pinning, spaced IrMn regions are formed over the active magnetoresistive layer to define the sensor track width.

Abstract: A current-pinned spin valve sensor includes a soft ferromagnetic free layer having a first thickness, a soft ferromagnetic pinned layer having a second thickness less than the first thickness, a copper layer sandwiched between the free and the pinned layer, and a current source coupled to the free layer, pinned layer, and copper layer to provide a biasing current that generates a magnetic field of sufficient strength to saturate the pinned layer. Preferably, the free layer and pinned layer selected from a group of materials consisting of essentially Permalloy, Cobalt, Iron-Cobalt, and soft Cobalt-based ferromagnetic alloys. Also preferably the free layer has an Mrt of at least 0.3 memu/cm.sup.2 and the pinned layer has a Mrt of at most 0.28 memu/cm.sup.2, and such that the ratio of the Mrt of the free layer to the Mrt of the pinned layer is in the range of 2-10. The biasing current through the sensor is preferably at least 4 mA.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) read sensor fabricated on a substrate comprises an MR layer of magnetoresistive material, a soft adjacent layer (SAL) of soft magnetic material, and a manganese-based metallic antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer between the MR layer and the SAL layer. The AFM layer is in direct contact with the SAL layer and is separated from the MR layer by a non-magnetic spacer layer. A non-magnetic texturing layer is disposed between the SAL layer and the substrate. This structure exhibits a much larger pinning field than read sensors using oxide-based antiferromagnets.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer includes an MR sensor element having end regions and a center active region. The end regions are pinned both top and bottom by an exchange coupling antiferromagnetic material. This pinning action causes the end regions to act as permanent magnets having the same remanent magnetic moment M.sub.r as that of the center active region, thereby resulting in suppression of magnetic edge effects in the transducer. A magnetic soft bias layer adjacent to the magnetoresistive sensor element also has its ends pinned by exchange coupling antiferromagnetic material.

Abstract: A magnetic sensing structure includes a spin valve sensor having a pinned magnetic layer and a free magnetic layer, the direction of magnetization of the free layer varying as a function of the magnetic field applied to the structure. A multilayered magnetic keeper structure is provided to cancel the magnetostatic field from the pinned layer to provide an ideal bias profile for the structure in the absence of an applied magnetic field. Longitudinal magnetic bias may be applied to the spin valve sensor through a contiguous junction magnetic structure adjacent to the keeper structure and spin valve sensor.

Abstract: A read transducer assembly includes a giant magnetoresistive structure in magnetic contact with a multilayered biasing structure that includes layers of antiferromagnetic material interleaved with layers of soft magnetic material. The magnetic exchange coupling between the antiferromagnetic layers and the soft magnetic layers results in a bias field to the giant magnetoresistive structure that reduces or eliminates side reading by the read transducer assembly. The multilayered biasing structure is located adjacent to and in magnetic contact with either the end or the top surfaces of the giant magnetoresistive structure.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head employs antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic layers in a layered structure to provide magnetic exchange field coupling. This structure is provided with a buffer layer which is in contact with either the ferromagnetic layer or the antiferromagnetic layer and whose action enhances the exchange field coupling between the antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic layers and improves the corrosion resistance.

Abstract: A giant magnetoresistive (GMR) thin film transducer employs a pair of flux guide pole members that define a magnetic transducing gap. A GMR structure formed of a stack of multiple layers is located between spaced portions of one of the flux guide pole members and away from the transducing gap. Bias current is supplied in a CPP (current perpendicular to the plane) mode. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of such GMR structures are connected together serially to provide a larger output signal than that obtained with a single GMR stack.